


untying all these ties

by artsyspikedhair



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursley Family, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dubious Morality, Gen, Manipulative Dumbledore, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sirius Black Free from Azkaban, Veritaserum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-15 14:54:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13033527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsyspikedhair/pseuds/artsyspikedhair





	untying all these ties

Remus Lupin was a lot of things, but he was not a man who doubted his friends without proof. The moment he heard the news about Sirius allegedly betraying his best friends, which was quite some time after the fact because Remus had been on an Order mission, he began inquiring about the trial. Unfortunately, since the war was effectively over, Remus had no source of income, and had to spend a substantial amount of time searching for ways to get food and shelter. The world was not kind to werewolves, not even werewolves who had lost everything, but Remus had too much pride to ask for more from Albus Dumbledore. This sorry state of affairs went on for years, until Remus had searched through all the Death Eater records of trials that the Wizengamot had. Once Remus realized he had no way of finding out the truth without help, he became desperate. 

Remus Lupin was a smart man. He knew damn well now that he had grown the only reason Dumbledore allowed him into Hogwarts was so that he could have a werewolf in his debt come the war. And so Remus was more than suspicious about how much the man knew about what happened to the Potters. Still, he would never be able to drug the Greatest Wizard of Our Age alone, nor would he have the ability to withstand the guilty conscience he would feel from doing so. Mundungus Fletcher, however, had no such qualms, and, as the only quality, although certainly not a Potions Master like Snivellus, potions brewer Remus felt he could trust enough to not report him to any authorities. Mundungus had his own dodgy dealings, and with some well-timed sexual favors Remus only felt bad about after the fact (who knew Mundungus Fletcher was into bestiality? Werewolf-ism had its only perk here, and Remus had to talk Mundungus out of forcing Remus to bite him, but it was an acceptable price to pay), by the time three full moons had passed Albus Dumbledore was drinking tea spiked with Veritaserum. 

"Remus, my boy, what brings you to our hallowed halls of learning on this fine day?" The old man had his usual twinkle in his eye. Remus smiled. He would find out the truth. 

"I just had some questions. Do you know if Sirius ever got a trial?" 

"Ah, I know you've been trying to prove our furry friend innocent for a long time, and while innocent he was, he never stood in front of the Wizengamot." 

Remus' eyes widened. He had been right. The rat must have- The betrayal stung his heart. Peter had been their friend, and Remus - well, Remus now knew why the rat wasn't a Hufflepuff. 

He had only one question left: "Why did you let him be sent to Azkaban?" 

"He was planning on kidnapping young Harry. I needed Harry starved of attention, and Black would have given him far too free reign. Harry needs to love our world more than anything else, he needs to not have anyone who can look around and ask why we expect a child to save us. Black is too good, he would disrupt the balance of the war and reform the entire world. The Muggle world has child endangerment laws, but in the Wizarding world, laws like that would kill us all. In Azkaban, even if Black escapes, he will not be the grown man he would have been if he had been allowed any responsibility. He will see Harry as another James, which would be perfectly acceptable." 

"Thank you, Professor, I must be going." And Remus left, and the potion wore off, and Albus Dumbledore was completely and utterly betrayed by his own complicated brain. 

A week passed with no news, and Albus thought maybe Remus had been so distraught he had killed himself, or did something else that would leave Albus in an acceptable position. But the world would not be kind to such a callous man; the Daily Prophet ran a story about how all the Dementors and workers had been petrified by some intruder. The intruder had burned the prison down with almost all the prisoners inside it, the only one whose body hadn't been found was Sirius Black. Dumbledore was simultaneously proud and distraught; all those Death Eaters dead were a good thing, but if Remus got Sirius a trial, the world would be shaken. 

Remus and Sirius were not going to stay in Britain while the hit-wizards were looking for them. They took a short vacation to Albania, where the wizards attempted to climb the Sharr mountains. They failed, and stopped in Prizren, where a kind innkeeper took pity on them. Remus was becoming more sensitive due to the high altitude and proximity to the full moon, and could smell Dark magic within the building. Sirius knew plenty of Dark curses from growing up, and they found a weakened spirit that attacked Sirius, possessing him. Sirius had learned how to dissociate during his time in Azkaban, however, and as he did his magical core ejected the foreign body, that Sirius then bound in a pulsing creation that looked oddly reminiscent of a fly in a spider's web. Remus knew that werewolves can kill spirits, so he and Padfoot spent the full moon in that inn basement, killing what was the last physical form of Tom Riddle Jr. 

Sirius had had enough of the snow, and he wanted more than ever to see his godson. Remus warned him of what Dumbledore had said, letting Sirius know that no matter what, he must not forget that this child is his responsibility, not his equal. Sirius was offended Dumbledore would ever think that even Azkaban would stop Sirius of remembering his duty to Harry. 

Travel was difficult, and by the time the two arrived in Surrey it was July. Harry would be going to Hogwarts this year. Remus worried that they had waited too long, that Harry would already be as damaged as Dumbledore wanted, but Sirius reminded him that Sirius had started Hogwarts a terrified abused child and the Marauders had taught him how family was supposed to act. The two took deep breaths, remembering the last time Lily had seen her sister. It was on Petunia's wedding day, and Petunia was so angry at Lily daring to show up when Petunia had been left to bury their parents alone (because Lily had been looking for horcruxes, and so many of her friends had died that she was almost incapable of grieving anymore) that Petunia had punched Lily in the face. Lily had come back crying, and Sirius, Remus, and James all were left comforting her. Then Sirius impulsively rang the doorbell. 

A middle-aged man with a black mustache came out. "Hello? If you're selling anything, I don't want it." 

Sirius had done his homework, however, and knew that the Dursley man had been trying to sell Harry for months. "No, actually we're here about the, uh, merchandise - the ad you posted about the-" 

Remus was severely confused, as he had refused to due any digging about the terrible treatment of his godson, wanting to hear it from Harry if he ever had to hear it at all. Vernon Dursley, however, knew exactly what was going on. "Ah, yes, my wife isn't here so if you want to try him out- he's grand, never cries and can take two at once-" 

Remus realized and attempted to hide his horror. The man had been molesting Harry! And was going to sell him as a sex slave! Sirius was handling the arrangement, however, and Remus only realized what had happened when the cupboard door opened. 

Harry was gaunt - he looked worse than Sirius had looked coming out of Azkaban - and his clothing hung off of him almost cartoonishly. His hair was matted and he walked with obvious discomfort. His eyes looked glazed, like he wasn't all there. Everything was happening quickly though, and soon Remus was wiping all of Vernon's memories of ever having had a nephew, so that if Petunia asked he would have no alibi. Sirius already had implanted memories in the neighbors at #3 Privet Drive. They were going to get Vernon Dursley in jail for murder, and by the time Dumbledore finds out it isn't true - if he ever finds out - they will be in America. The MACUSA had never worshiped Dumbledore, as America had been isolationist for as long as anyone could remember. 

"Who are you?" Harry asked. Remus, knowing more about Muggle perceptions of magic, answered. 

"We're your fairy god fathers. We're rescuing you."


End file.
